Saturday, March 10, 2018

Week in Review: New Songs / Music Videos to Check Out (March 4-10, 2018)


It can be hard to keep track of all the new songs and music videos that come out over a given week. We get it, things get busy and there is a lot to take in. That’s why the weekend makes for a great time to check out all the new music you may have missed during the hustle and bustle of daily life.

This week saw the release of a lot of new rock and alternative tracks. Lily Allen and Shinedown both announced new albums with corresponding lead singles that shake things up and show each in a brand new light. The Neighbourhood and A Perfect Circle both released videos for their previously released singles. We also got great new tracks from established artists like The Decemberists and Owl City, as well as newcomers like Betty Who, Bishop Briggs, Blossoms, Sunflower Bean and Movements.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has been searching the internet for this week’s best new songs and music videos. Here are nine that we think are worth checking out.


1.       Lily Allen, “Three”: This week, Lily Allen announced plans to release her fourth studio album, ‘No Shame.’ Along with the announcement came two new songs: the low-key, hip-hop-assisted “Higher” and the piano ballad “Three.” And while both have great tunes, “Three” is a bit more intriguing to me. In it, she puts herself in the place of a three-year-old child, telling someone (perhaps a parent) not to leave. It’s solemn and introspective, a new kind of track we haven’t necessarily heard from Allen before. (video)

2.       The Decemberists, “Once In My Life”: “Once In My Life” goes from folk to rock to gospel in the span of five minutes. The transitions are seamless. Its original folk tune escalates when the drums come in to frame it. The tone shifts again about three minutes in, where a big drum roll prompts the song to build into this joyous, soaring gospel-tinged chorus. (video)

3.       Owl City, “New York City”: In true Owl City form, “New York City” has this fluttery pop sound complete with sound effects and head-in-the-clouds melody. The lyrics are just as light hearted and uplifting as the melody. It’s not only a love song to a girl, but to anyone looking to see the world. (video)

4.       The Neighbourhood, “Scary Love”: Upon the release of their new album, self-titled album, The Neighbourhood released a video for their single “Scary Love.” The video features Tommy Wiseau (‘The Room’) as a demon hunter who walks into a diner where he ends up engaged in a laser gun battle with the waitress behind the counter. “Scary Love’s” 80s synth-rock sound goes well with the overall 80s-style and feel of the video. (video)

5.       Blossoms, “I Can’t Stand It”: “I Can’t Stand It” has a clean garage-rock sound with tinges of synth and keyboard rock to give it movement. Its repetitive hook is just catchy enough to get stuck in your head. (video)

6.       A Perfect Circle, “Disillusioned”: A Perfect Circle released the music video for “Disillusioned,” the second single from their upcoming album, ‘Eat The Elephant.’ Taking place at an institution where everyone is connected to their phones and worshiping electronics that’s as dark and haunting as Maynard James Keenan’s vocals, one individual escapes to find a more colorful world outside of her screen. She then proceeds to break others out of their trance as the song bursts out of its piano-driven melancholy. The premise fits lyrically with the song, soundtracking the video with lyrics about “putting down the silicon obsession” and “taking a look around.” (video)

7.       Sunflower Bean, “Twentytwo”: “Twentytwo” is a delightful mix of retro and lo-fi indie rock. It has this muted garage rock sound that makes it feel a little like it was recorded in the 60s, though it clearly sounds like it was written out of today’s indie-rock climate. It’s good if you want to relax and space out for a while. (video)

8.       Movements, “Deadly Dull”: The subject of “Deadly Dull” is pretty clear: This is a song about watching a loved one with Alzheimer’s deteriorating mentally. The lyrics contemplate how the loved one must feel, as well as whether this will happen to him too. It gets a little loud for a song of this subject, but anyone who has ever dealt with the disease can relate to this song. (video)

9.       Shinedown, “Devil”: “Devil” is one of the heaviest rock songs Shinedown has released in years. The first single from their upcoming concept album ‘Attention Attention,’ frontman Brent Smith told Billboard that the song is about fear of self and fear of the world around you. Though the song is a departure from the band’s standard, lighter rock, one thing that has remained the same in their songwriting is their ability to come up with clever, catchy choruses, as “Devil’s” sing-song-y nature is very memorable. (video)


A lot of great new songs and music videos were released over the last week. Catch up this weekend by checking out some of our favorites above. Then, let us know which new songs you’ve been into this week.

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Find music new and old at Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s favorite new independent record shop. We have thousands of titles to choose from in a wide array of genres. Browse our selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. Whether you’re looking to discover something new or rediscover the classics, we have you covered. And with more titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.

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